(AhlulBayt News Agency) - For the fifth consecutive week, Bahraini authorities have banned the Imam of Friday prayer from entering Diraz to perform the prayers, which made worshipers perform their prayers separately (without being led by the Imam).
The authorities also prevented on Friday (August 19, 2016) a large number of citizens from entering Diraz to take part in Friday prayer.
After the prayer, citizens held a rally outside Imam Al-Sadiq Mosque demanding to stop persecution of Shias majority and allow them to perform their religious rituals.
UN experts called on the government of Bahrain to end persecution of Shias and said in a statement that "Shias are clearly being targeted on the basis of their religion."
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